A growing segment of Internet use is media streaming, which allows consumers to consume media content directly from the Internet, bypassing many traditional methods of delivery. Streaming media describes the playback of media on a playback device, where the media is stored on a server and is sent to the playback device over a network during playback. Typically, the playback device stores a sufficient quantity of media in a buffer at any given time during playback to prevent disruption of playback due to the playback device completing playback of all the buffered media prior to receipt of the next portion of media. Adaptive bitrate streaming or adaptive streaming involves detecting the present streaming conditions (e.g. the user's network bandwidth and CPU capacity) in real time and adjusting the bitrate of the streamed media accordingly. Typically, the source media is encoded at multiple bit rates and the playback device or client switches between streaming the different encodings depending on available resources.
Streams of content utilized in adaptive bitrate streaming systems are typically encoded at target bitrates. Target bitrates include an anticipated maximum bitrate that a user may obtain while streaming content. Streams are typically encoded in a non-uniform manner, but contain an average bitrate. Streams are also usually encoded where the stream has an average bitrate that approaches the maximum or target bitrate. These maximum bitrates therefore, are generally used to make stream switching decisions.
Streams utilized in adaptive bitrate streaming are typically segmented, which may include splitting the streams into short duration segments of equal duration in each of the alternative streams. The segments can be packaged in container files formatted in accordance with the requirements of the standards such as MPEG DASH or HLS. These segments can then be published to a HTTP server for distribution.
Recently, higher resolutions of video content are possible for viewing. “4K” content and televisions have become more commonplace in the consumer market. A 4K television contains four times the amount of pixels as a standard 1080P television set. Specifically, a 4K television has a resolution of 3,840×2,160 compared to the 1,920×1,080 resolution of 1080P sets.
Content delivery networks (CDNs) refer to a network of proxy severs deployed in different physical data centers at various points around the globe. A CDN can be utilized to provide increased performance and uptime for content delivery. This increased performance may be achieved by having multiple servers with copies of the same content across the globe. When a user attempts to access the content, a CDN that is physically closer or at least have a shorter digital route to take can deliver the content faster than a regular server farther away. In static streaming situations, this is ideal as the content that is streamed does not change. However, in live streaming situations, ideally latency is accounted for as the content is first encoded and then distributed to the CDN networks. Additionally, having multiple copies of the same content decreases the likelihood that content will be unavailable when one server goes offline or experiences heavy traffic that might otherwise impair the ability to deliver the content.
Content delivery networks are run by numerous companies including Akamai Technologies, Inc. of Cambridge Mass., and Amazon.com, Inc. of Seattle, Wash. CDN services can be hired by any company seeking to speed up and increase the uptime of their web offerings. Additionally, companies may utilize multiple CDNs to further increase their benefits.